2 The basics of BiSL® booksBiSL (Business Information Services Library) is a framework andcollection of best practices for business information management.

3 Summary of BiSL® booksBiSL (Business Information Services Library) was developedby a Dutch IT service provider, PinkRoccade and made publicin 2005. BiSL was then transferred to the public domain andadopted by the ASL BiSL Foundation. The current version is the2nd Edition, published in 2012.

BiSL focuses on how business organizations can improve controlover their information systems: demand for business support, useof information systems and contracts and other arrangementswith IT suppliers. BiSL offers guidance in business informationmanagement: support for the use of information systems in thebusiness processes, operational IT control and informationmanagement.

The library consists of a framework, best practices, standardtemplates and a self-assessment. The BiSL framework givesa description of all the processes that enable the control ofinformation systems from a business perspective (see Figure).

The framework distinguishes seven process clusters, which arepositioned at the operational, managing and strategic levels(see Figure).

The use management cluster provides optimum, on-goingsupport for the relevant business processes. The functionalitymanagement cluster structures and effects changes in informationprovision. The connecting processes cluster focuses on decisionmakingrelated to which changes need to be made to theinformation provision, and how they are implemented within theuser organization.

The management processes cluster ensures that all the activitieswithin the business information management domain aremanaged in an integrated way.

There are three clusters at the strategic level, which areconcerned with the formulation of policies for informationprovision and the organizations involved in this activity.

4 BiSL® books Target audienceBiSL is primarily aimed at business management, informationmanagement and professionals who wish to improve the supportof their business processes by realizing a better automated andnon-automated information provision.

5 Scope and constraints of BiSL® booksThe scope of BiSL is the support, usage, maintenance, renovationand policy of the information provision and the management ofall related activities

Strengths• It offers a stable framework and a common language forbusiness information management• It is supported by a not-for-profi t, vendor-independentfoundation in which a wide range of organizations participate• It fi lls the gap between the business and IT functions. BiSLrecognizes and addresses management issues that areincreasingly important.